Halftime Observations: Chargers Crushing Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium 24-13

Cincinnati rallied back after an ugly start.

Author:
James Rapien
Publish date:
Dec 5, 2021 2:39 PM EST

CINCINNATI — The Bengals trail the Chargers 24-13 at halftime following a roller coaster first half.

Los Angeles built a 24-0 lead early in the second quarter, but Cincinnati has chipped away to make this a competitive game.

Here are some halftime observations:

Turnovers

Joe Burrow threw one interception and fumbled in the first half. The Chargers scored 10 points off of the two turnovers.

Neither turnover was Burrow's fault. He was hit while throwing by Uchenna Nwosu on the Bengals' first drive. Nwosu also recovered the fumble.

Then on the Bengals' second possession Burrow appeared to find Ja'Marr Chase for a long touchdown. The rookie receiver bobbled the ball and it fell right into Michael Davis' hands. The Chargers' offense scored a touchdown five plays later.

Injuries

Burrow suffered a right pinky injury late in the second quarter. He stayed in the game, but it could impact his effectiveness. It could impact his ability to hold the ball.

It's also worth noting that linebacker Logan Wilson (shoulder) was carted off the field and is unlikely to return.

Other Observations

Tee Higgins had an outstanding 29-yard touchdown catch to get the Bengals on the board. He's played great in recent weeks.

The Bengals have only ran for 41 yards. That has to change, especially with Burrow nicked up.

Speaking of Burrow, he was as animated as I've ever seen him in the second quarter. He was visibly frustrated multiple times, including when the Bengals were called for a delay of game out of a timeout following Higgins' touchdown. They were going to go for a two-point conversion before the penalty.

Watch Burrow's touchdown run and Higgins' touchdown catch here.

The Bengals Will Win If...

They take care of the ball and Burrow's healthy enough to be his normal self. The Bengals were completely out of it, but they fought back. They receive the second half kickoff and have a chance to cut it to a one score game.

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